In 2012, diversity activities were a top priority for the School of Medicine and the need to coordinate activities across the School was pressing. Hannah Valantine, former Senior Associate Dean of the Office of Diversity and Leadership, and Fernando Mendoza, Associate Dean of Minority Advising and Programs, convened the first Diversity Cabinet. This inaugural Cabinet established the first comprehensive strategic plan for diversity and inclusion for the School of Medicine.

The Diversity Cabinet convened the Dean’s Task Force on Diversity and Societal Citizenship (DSC) to provide recommendations to the Stanford University School of Medicine Dean, Senior Associate Deans, and Diversity Cabinet on advancing diversity within the School, and on educating our students and trainees in societal citizenship. The charge followed what was a string of deeply distressing events, nationwide, involving the ending of Black lives by law enforcement.

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In 2014, the Stanford Medicine Diversity Cabinet was reconvened under the direction of Bonnie Maldonado, Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Development and Diversity, and Fernando Mendoza, Associate Dean for Minority Advising and Programs. The Cabinet's purview was to review and coordinate diversity activities across the School of Medicine continuum and to share best practices as well as lessons learned. Within this process, the Cabinet generated an updated diversity and inclusion strategic plan for Stanford Medicine.

The Diversity Cabinet oversaw the formation of the LGBTQ+/Sexual and Gender Minorities (SGM) Task Force to address issues facing SGM individuals at Stanford University School of Medicine. The task force identified ongoing activities for the LGBTQ+ community at all constituency levels and brought in leading voices from these programs.

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The Diversity Cabinet developed SCORE, a program that brings fourth-year medical students from diverse backgrounds to Stanford for a four-week residential clinical training program in one of the clinical departments at SHC or LPCH, where they are matched with mentors who share similar interests.

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The Diversity Cabinet collaborated with the Office of Communication and Public Affairs to create a new podcast series, Portraits of Stanford Medicine, hosted by Paul Costello. He introduces listeners to the many faces of Stanford Medicine. During the conversations, interviewees discuss their formative years; who or what influenced them to consider careers in medicine; the challenges they faced along the way; and what drives and fuels their passion. Many of them took unconventional paths to medicine, a common thread here at Stanford Medicine, and a reflection of the kind of diversity that enriches everyone.

The School of Medicine Diversity Cabinet was charged with recommending to the Dean programs and initiatives focused on enhancing diversity and inclusion at Stanford Medicine.

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In order to address the commitment to support and understand the needs for those who identify with a sexual or gender minority group (SGM or LGBTQ+) within the School of Medicine, medical students, graduate students, residents, postdoctoral trainees, fellows, faculty, and staff were invited to participate in a survey, developed by the School of Medicine Diversity Cabinet’s LGBTQ+/SGM Task Force.

Read the survey results

The Diversity Cabinet supported students and trainees in establishing the Diversity Center of Representation and Empowerment, or D-CORE. The D-CORE provides a location where any member of the Stanford Medicine community interested in issues of inclusion and diversity can hold meetings or support groups, or just hang out and study. It includes a space for prayer and meditation.

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The Diversity Cabinet developed the Diversity Communications Advisory Board (D-CAB) as a mechanism to bring together faculty, students, trainees, and staff to advise and inform Stanford Medicine responses and actions to current events, as well as to disseminate information in the most effective and efficient manner.

A representative from the Human Resources Group at the School of Medicine joined the Diversity Cabinet to give voice to the staff population.

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Trainees in leadership positions represent their respective constituency on the Diversity Cabinet to give voice to the student, postdoc, and resident populations. The four individual roles are: 1) President of Stanford University Minority Medical Alliance (SUMMA) (Medical Students), 2) President of Biomedical Association for the Interest of Minority Students (BioAIMS) (Graduate Students), 3) Appointee of Stanford University Postdoctoral Association (SURPAS) (Postdoctoral Scholars), and 4) Appointee of Graduate Medical Education Diversity Committee (GME Diversity Committee) (Residents/Fellows).

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Based on a recommendation from the Diversity Cabinet, the Council of Chairs and the Dean's Office in the School of Medicine made an agreement to provide funding to support diverse recruitment, medical student affinity groups within the Stanford University Minority Medical Alliance (SUMMA), and the GME Diversity Committee.

The Diversity Cabinet LGBTQ+/Sexual and Gender Minorities (SGM) Subcommittee met to discuss ongoing Stanford Medicine SGM efforts, such as medical education curriculum, healthcare for the LGBTQ+ community, and seminars, trainings, and workshops representing the latest research on the LGBTQ+ community. The subcommittee also spearheads new programs and events for the community, including the Stanford Medicine LGBTQ+ Forum.

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The School of Medicine's Director of Culture and Inclusion chairs the Diversity Cabinet and coordinates the integration of diversity and inclusion activities across all constituencies from students through faculty and implements school-wide diversity and inclusion strategy and planning.

A representative from Human Resources at Stanford Health Care (SHC) joined the Diversity Cabinet to better link diversity efforts across Stanford Medicine.

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The Diversity Cabinet prepared a report to provide guidance to the Dean around the centralization of diversity efforts across Stanford Medicine. The Diversity Cabinet identified two primary needs around diversity and inclusion activities within Stanford Medicine: (1) the integration of activities across constituent groups, and (2) a diversity and inclusion “point” person or “point” people among each constituent Stanford.

A representative from Human Resources at the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital (LPCH) joined the Diversity Cabinet to better link diversity efforts across Stanford Medicine.

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During the 2018 spring quarter, each Diversity Cabinet member was interviewed on their individual efforts and the ongoing efforts of the team. The qualitative data gathered resulted in an assessment for future directions for the Diversity Cabinet.

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The D-CORE Office Hours are an opportunity for populations across all of Stanford Medicine to speak with representatives from the Cabinet and their affiliated offices about diversity, equity, and inclusion issues in a confidential manner. In addition, Stanford University partners hold office hours to create connections between the main campus and the School of Medicine. Any Stanford Medicine community member is welcome to visit during office hours.

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The Office of Faculty Development and Diversity hosted the inaugural diversity social to connect individuals leading efforts to create a more inclusive culture across Stanford Medicine. The diversity socials are held on an annual basis to build community across all constituencies.

The LGBTQ+ Forum was spearheaded by the Diversity Cabinet's LGBTQ+/SGM Subcommittee. The LGBTQ+ Forum featured personal and professional stories from LGBTQ+ members of the Stanford Medicine community, as well as networking opportunities and opportunities for allies to show support. This inaugural event promoted the continued growth of a visible Stanford Medicine LGBTQ+ community.

The Stanford Medicine Diversity website provides a centralized location for the School of Medicine's diversity efforts to be publicized, shared, and acknowledged.

Explore the website 

Diversity, Respect, and Inclusion are Vital to Excellence (DRIVE) is a part of the Stanford Medicine Integrated Strategic Plan. The goal of DRIVE is to cultivate an environment in which diversity is present and celebrated, and all community members are respected, developed, and included. The Diversity Cabinet voted and was approved to be the DRIVE Initiative Development Team.

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The newly appointed Diversity, Inclusion, & Health Equity Leader at Stanford Health Care (SHC) joined the Diversity Cabinet to better link diversity efforts across Stanford Medicine.

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The Diversity Cabinet approved official bylaws to create a foundational structure for various processes and operations, including guiding principles, membership, subcommittees, task forces, and more.

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The founder of the Stanford Medicine Abilities Coalition (SMAC) joined the Diversity Cabinet to represent the disabled community at Stanford Medicine.

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The IDEAL  – Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access in a Learning Environment – initiative is a key component of Stanford University's long-range vision to commit to the values of diversity and inclusion. IDEAL is centered on four focus areas: recruitment, research, education and engagement. Cabinet members serve on multiple IDEAL committees to represent School of Medicine constituencies.

Based on the request of basic science student and trainee Diversity Cabinet members, the Engaging Basic Science Researchers Task Force was formed in response to basic science trainee voices requesting greater basic science researcher engagement in diversity and inclusion activities. The resulting group included all constituencies represented in the basic sciences to form high-level recommendations and guidance for implementation. The Dean and Vice Dean approved the report for implementation.

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In July 2019, there was an event on campus where the intent was clearly to create fear and was an act of hate and intolerance. A gathering of the community was organized by Diversity Cabinet members and held in front of the Li Ka Shing Learning and Knowledge Center to make visible by our presence that we stand against this act and acts like these, which are hateful and intolerant.

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Members of the Inclusion, Diversity, and Health Equity (IDHE) team at Stanford Health Care (SHC) and the Diversity and Inclusion team at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital (LPCH) joined the Diversity Cabinet to better link diversity efforts across Stanford Medicine.

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The lead for graduate biosciences diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives in the Office of Graduate Education joined the Diversity Cabinet.

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The Acts of Intolerance protocol establishes a mechanism for addressing situations involving an act of intolerance. The Acts of Intolerance Working Group, including members of the Diversity Cabinet, is reviewing the protocol to ensure that the needs of the community are met and that the Protocol aligns with other changes in policies, best practices, and socio-cultural dynamics in higher education today.

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The Diversity Cabinet regularly releases reports and additional communications related to diversity at Stanford Medicine. To increase transparency, the Diversity Cabinet made these reports publicly available. 

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An alumni representative is added to the Diversity Cabinet. This individual serves as a member of the Stanford Medicine Alumni Association.

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A list of external resources related to equity and COVID-19 was curated by the Stanford Medicine Diversity Cabinet and the Office of Faculty Development and Diversity Liaisons. 

The Diversity Cabinet recommended several books to the Dean for the incoming medical student class. One of the recommendations, Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell, was selected.

Diversity Cabinet members mobilized to share resources for anti-racist education, donation and activism, and self-care in support of Black Lives Matter. These resources were also curated from additional offices, organizations, and individuals as listed in the acknowledgements on the BLM Resources website.

View BLM Resources website

Diversity Cabinet members came together to put forth a set of collective recommendations as a call to action for the Black Lives Matter movement. These recommendations apply to the School of Medicine, Stanford Health Care, and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital. 

View BLM Collective Recommendations

Diversity Cabinet members submitted  recommendations based on their representative constituency as a call to action for the Black Lives Matter movement. These recommendations apply to the various constituencies represented by the Diversity Cabinet. 

View BLM Constituency-Specific Recommendations